Summer 2020 Reading Challenge
Join the Summer Reading Challenge with the Milton Public Library! Read whatever you like, then log your minutes online, write book reviews, and complete fun activities to earn prizes and virtual badges. This year, you can also earn virtual tickets and enter them in drawings for prizes like gift cards, mystery book boxes, and swag bags! Use your old Beanstack account to log in, or set up a new one at miltonlibrary.beanstack.org. Register for the 2020 Challenge with one click, then submit this short Google Form to let your teacher know you’re registered. This year’s theme is “Imagine Your Story!” To learn more, read this flyer and watch this video featuring Library Assistant Director Sara Truog and children’s librarian Jen Struzziero, with cameos from our elementary principals. The Challenge will run from June 18-September 2. If you have any questions about summer reading, contact Miss Sara at [email protected] or Mr. Coben at [email protected]. Happy reading!
Books Online
Cool Tools from the Milton Public Library website: E-books, animated read-alouds and book videos, interactive language-learning materials, online encyclopedias in English and French, kid-friendly databases. Type in a library card number to access resources such as TumbleBooks, BookFlix, ScienceFlix, Muzzy Club, World Book Kids, and Kids Info Bits.
Epic! Access 40,000+ e-books, audiobooks, educational videos, & quizzes for ages 12 & under. Mr. Coben’s class code is myb0770. During school closure, you may sign in anytime, seven days a week. (Normally, access hours for teacher accounts are 6:00 AM-4:00 PM, Monday-Friday.)
25 Ways Kids Can Read Free E-Books from We Are Teachers
Audible: Stories: Free collection of audiobooks in 6 languages, available for students during school closure
Lerner Digital: Free 30-day trial available; collections of PreK-12 e-books, interactive e-books, e-books with audio, and audiobooks.
Follett eLearning: Lightbox: 1,000+ interactive ebooks for PreK-12 in subjects such as science, language arts, and math; free during school closure
Project Gutenberg: A library of over 60,000 free ebooks in multiple formats; most are older titles in the public domain. Here is the link to their Children’s Bookshelf.
Libby: Borrow ebooks and audiobooks for free from the public library. All you need is a library card! Access materials on a computer or e-reader, or download the app for phones and tablets.
Hoopla: Another great platform for borrowing free digital media using your public library card, with access to ebooks, audiobooks, music, movies, and more.
Epic! Access 40,000+ e-books, audiobooks, educational videos, & quizzes for ages 12 & under. Mr. Coben’s class code is myb0770. During school closure, you may sign in anytime, seven days a week. (Normally, access hours for teacher accounts are 6:00 AM-4:00 PM, Monday-Friday.)
25 Ways Kids Can Read Free E-Books from We Are Teachers
Audible: Stories: Free collection of audiobooks in 6 languages, available for students during school closure
Lerner Digital: Free 30-day trial available; collections of PreK-12 e-books, interactive e-books, e-books with audio, and audiobooks.
Follett eLearning: Lightbox: 1,000+ interactive ebooks for PreK-12 in subjects such as science, language arts, and math; free during school closure
- In the School field, enter Follett eLearning, McHenry, IL. The Location field is pre-populated with Any Location (do not change this field).
- Click Go.
- Click Login on the top right.
- Enter guest in the Username field and follett in the Password field.
- Press Enter.
Project Gutenberg: A library of over 60,000 free ebooks in multiple formats; most are older titles in the public domain. Here is the link to their Children’s Bookshelf.
Libby: Borrow ebooks and audiobooks for free from the public library. All you need is a library card! Access materials on a computer or e-reader, or download the app for phones and tablets.
Hoopla: Another great platform for borrowing free digital media using your public library card, with access to ebooks, audiobooks, music, movies, and more.
Video Read-Alouds
Storyline Online: Videos of children’s books read aloud by celebrity actors
Story Time from Space: Videos of astronauts on the International Space Station reading stories and conducting educational demonstrations
Storytime Video Series from We Are Teachers: Children's book authors read aloud their own books
ABC Worry Free: Neuroeducator Noel Foy reads aloud her picture book that explains how worry works, how to shift perspective, and how to take control of anxiety.
Strega Nona read by Mary Steenburgen: Storyline Online video of the best-known book by author-illustrator Tomie dePaola, who passed away on March 30, 2020
Live Author Webcasts & Read Alouds: links to regular, live events with dozens of children’s authors, including Mo Willems, Jerry Pallotta, Dan Gutman, Grace Lin, and Lauren Tarshis; list compiled by Olivia (Liv), an 11-year-old advocate for books and authors
The Big List of Children’s Authors Doing Online Read-Alouds & Activities from We Are Teachers
Harry Potter at Home: Celebrity actors post videos each week where they read aloud the first Harry Potter book, chapter by chapter. Check out the rest of the website for more Harry Potter fun.
Story Time from Space: Videos of astronauts on the International Space Station reading stories and conducting educational demonstrations
Storytime Video Series from We Are Teachers: Children's book authors read aloud their own books
ABC Worry Free: Neuroeducator Noel Foy reads aloud her picture book that explains how worry works, how to shift perspective, and how to take control of anxiety.
Strega Nona read by Mary Steenburgen: Storyline Online video of the best-known book by author-illustrator Tomie dePaola, who passed away on March 30, 2020
Live Author Webcasts & Read Alouds: links to regular, live events with dozens of children’s authors, including Mo Willems, Jerry Pallotta, Dan Gutman, Grace Lin, and Lauren Tarshis; list compiled by Olivia (Liv), an 11-year-old advocate for books and authors
The Big List of Children’s Authors Doing Online Read-Alouds & Activities from We Are Teachers
Harry Potter at Home: Celebrity actors post videos each week where they read aloud the first Harry Potter book, chapter by chapter. Check out the rest of the website for more Harry Potter fun.
At Home Learning
America's Story from the Library of Congress: activities include "Meet Amazing Americans," "Jump Back in Time," "Explore the States," "Join America in Time," and "See, Hear, and Sing"
Between the Lions Early Reading Collection (Pre-K to Gr. 1) from PBS
Free Online Events & Activities for Kids at Home from Common Sense Media
National Geographic World for Kids
PBS PreK-12 Resources for Emergency Closings
Scholastic Learn at Home: "Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing"
WGBH Distance Learning Center: PreK-12 videos, lessons, and activities
Wide Open School: A free collection of the online learning experiences for kids curated by Common Sense Media
Resources for Learning from Home from We Are Teachers: K-5 websites, games, apps, hands-on activities, virtual museum tours, podcasts, and more; organized by grade level
Time for Kids Digital Library: A library of four grade-specific digital editions of TIME for Kids and Your $ financial literacy magazine; sign up for free access until the end of July 2020
Highlights @ Home: A new, free service for families and teachers that delivers themed content bundles twice a week; for Highlights Kids, click here.
Interland from Google: Online adventure that teaches digital citizenship and safety with four different games
Between the Lions Early Reading Collection (Pre-K to Gr. 1) from PBS
Free Online Events & Activities for Kids at Home from Common Sense Media
National Geographic World for Kids
PBS PreK-12 Resources for Emergency Closings
Scholastic Learn at Home: "Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing"
WGBH Distance Learning Center: PreK-12 videos, lessons, and activities
Wide Open School: A free collection of the online learning experiences for kids curated by Common Sense Media
Resources for Learning from Home from We Are Teachers: K-5 websites, games, apps, hands-on activities, virtual museum tours, podcasts, and more; organized by grade level
Time for Kids Digital Library: A library of four grade-specific digital editions of TIME for Kids and Your $ financial literacy magazine; sign up for free access until the end of July 2020
Highlights @ Home: A new, free service for families and teachers that delivers themed content bundles twice a week; for Highlights Kids, click here.
Interland from Google: Online adventure that teaches digital citizenship and safety with four different games
World Language Resources
Follett eLearning: AV2 World Languages: K-3 ebooks in multiple languages; free during school closure
Cool Tools from the Milton Public Library website: Type in a library card number to access resources in French and Spanish, such as TumbleBooks (animated picture books, some in French and Spanish), BookFlix (picture-book videos paired with nonfiction e-books; some titles available in Spanish); Muzzy Club (interactive language games, activities, and videos in French, Spanish, and other languages), Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos (Spanish online encyclopedia), L’Encyclopédie Découverte (French online encyclopedia), and aulaPlaneta (Spanish database).
Epic! Access French, English, and Spanish e-books, audiobooks, & educational videos for ages 12 & under. You may use Mr. Coben’s class code: myb0770. During school closure, you may sign in anytime, seven days a week. (Normally, access hours for teacher accounts are 6:00 AM-4:00 PM, Monday-Friday.)
Audible: Stories: Free collection of audiobooks in 6 languages, available for students during school closure
International Children’s Digital Library: More than 4,600 books in 80 languages
eBooKids: 1400+ e-books for children in French, Spanish, and English
Il était une histoire: French stories, folktales, legends, fables, songs, poems, and nonfiction texts
Littérature jeunesse libre: 1,000+ free children’s books in French, available for download in PDF and EPUB formats
Children’s Books Forever: Books in French, Spanish, and 10 other languages by popular children’s author Hans Wilhelm
Bibliothèque des Amériques: Jeunesse: Audiobooks for children in French, presented by Radio-Canada
- In the School field, enter Follett eLearning, McHenry, IL. The Location field is pre-populated with Any Location (do not change this field).
- Click Go.
- Click Login on the top right.
- Enter guest in the Username field and follett in Password field.
- Press Enter.
- Scroll down to Learning Links and click on the AV2/ World Language Shortcut
- Username: K-4.3
- Password: read
Cool Tools from the Milton Public Library website: Type in a library card number to access resources in French and Spanish, such as TumbleBooks (animated picture books, some in French and Spanish), BookFlix (picture-book videos paired with nonfiction e-books; some titles available in Spanish); Muzzy Club (interactive language games, activities, and videos in French, Spanish, and other languages), Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos (Spanish online encyclopedia), L’Encyclopédie Découverte (French online encyclopedia), and aulaPlaneta (Spanish database).
Epic! Access French, English, and Spanish e-books, audiobooks, & educational videos for ages 12 & under. You may use Mr. Coben’s class code: myb0770. During school closure, you may sign in anytime, seven days a week. (Normally, access hours for teacher accounts are 6:00 AM-4:00 PM, Monday-Friday.)
Audible: Stories: Free collection of audiobooks in 6 languages, available for students during school closure
International Children’s Digital Library: More than 4,600 books in 80 languages
eBooKids: 1400+ e-books for children in French, Spanish, and English
Il était une histoire: French stories, folktales, legends, fables, songs, poems, and nonfiction texts
Littérature jeunesse libre: 1,000+ free children’s books in French, available for download in PDF and EPUB formats
Children’s Books Forever: Books in French, Spanish, and 10 other languages by popular children’s author Hans Wilhelm
Bibliothèque des Amériques: Jeunesse: Audiobooks for children in French, presented by Radio-Canada
Poetry Corner
Poetry Foundation: Poems for Children
Kenn Nesbitt's Poetry4Kids: funny poems for kids, classic children’s poems, games, activities, videos, & a rhyming dictionary
Poems for Kids from the Academy of American Poets
Best Poems for Kids of All Time from Best Poems Encyclopedia
9 Different Types of Poetry for Kids from Penguin Books
Kenn Nesbitt's Poetry4Kids: funny poems for kids, classic children’s poems, games, activities, videos, & a rhyming dictionary
Poems for Kids from the Academy of American Poets
Best Poems for Kids of All Time from Best Poems Encyclopedia
9 Different Types of Poetry for Kids from Penguin Books
Book Fun
Hogwarts Digital Escape Room: Great for Harry Potter fans!
Shelver Game: Have fun putting books in order by call number. Choose fiction or nonfiction, then Level 1-3
Kids Ask Authors podcast: A weekly 5-10 minute podcast where children’s book author/illustrator Grace Lin and a guest author answer one question from a child reader. Most episodes end with a book review, poem, short story, or joke sent in by kids like you!
Shelver Game: Have fun putting books in order by call number. Choose fiction or nonfiction, then Level 1-3
Kids Ask Authors podcast: A weekly 5-10 minute podcast where children’s book author/illustrator Grace Lin and a guest author answer one question from a child reader. Most episodes end with a book review, poem, short story, or joke sent in by kids like you!
Book Recommendations
50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12- Common Sense Media
100 Greatest Books for Kids from Scholastic Parents
Notable Children's Books- Association for Library Service to Children
100 Greatest Books for Kids from Scholastic Parents
Notable Children's Books- Association for Library Service to Children